Labour Legislation—A Comparison.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7749, 27 February 1905, Page 2

Labour Legislation—A Comparison.

/e There is an excellent object lesson J in progressive legislation to be got from a comparison between Maorirc land and Tasmania. The two '° States have much in common, on a ' n first glance. Both enjoy a temper- * ate climate and a good average rain- '" fall. Both are' mountainous and m well-watered, with; large mineral '* fields. Both have large areas of *" good and large areas of poor agri- .~ cultural land. Maoriland has a some- " what better general rainfall than '" Tasmania, and somewhat more good agricultural land in proportion to its size. Tasmania has more mineral l_ wealth —much more wicxploitctl minj eral wealth ; a more promising f'uit r '_ industry, a big open market at its ( own doora ; and ccrtnin other ad- '. vantages over Maoriland. And jet, despite Tasmania's longer period of u settlement, Maori'and rides gallantly ._ on the top of a *.olid wave of [ resj perity, and Tasmania is quaking in j the mud of stagnation n,;d 1« nk- j ■ rupUcy. Maoriland is i:i the clutch of the new spirit, and Tasmania regarda all things new (with the sole exception of new monopolies) as essentiality disreputable. To the student of public affairs this or.pilior' is * hill of interest. Why is Mainland in the van of the army of progress, a while Tasmania is leagues in tho ear, licking, dirty pots with the " camp-wenches ? It is because Jfaoriland is radical and progressive, while Tasmania is Tory and retrograde ; „ or, more precisely, because Maorijj land takes the lead in Staeo socinl- ,_ ism as political damnation pure and j. simple. In Tasmania the House of c Dodery will not permit the enactment of a reasonable land-tax,, scoffs ', at all modern industrial legislation ! (including early-closing ond •half-holi-f day bills, and moderate factory laws) t snorts at every attempt to ' foster ' , closer-stlttlement, sneers at every pro- i j |posal to collect fair probate-duty on i 3 reality,, and fairly squeals whenever < r monopoly and special privilege are ' , threatened. The result of this is that i t Jnsmnnia which is everlastingly 1 . yelling its adulation of the Foroign- . trade shiblb'olclh-depends on customs l , duties for the bulk of its revenue ; i and afi there has been some notice-' i I able sihrinknge of revenue from that : . source since Federation, the most 1 . prominont dunderheads in Tasmania : . are n'ow anti-Federalists, Apart i , from the nocessdty of fostering local j industries, ft would be ft terrible and J excellent thing for Tasmania just J now if the revenue from customs t , shrank suddenly fo Is 2Jd a year i Notlung shout of the very shrapnel 1 and earthquake of circumstance will 1 aver •awaken that State from its aw- 1 ful lethargy or startle its greed of ' class. Apart from revenue, the need f of induStria'l reform Is urgent and e softgoods' vendors!, Foreign Traders <. every one, are (with one or two i notable exceptions,) among the groat- » est and most shameless sweaters of .women in the Commonwealth. The gurjs are worked during long hours on most pitiful wages. Every at l ~ tempt to nnprove the conditions „/ * these poor driven creatures is scotchod by the House of Dodery F?x t w ° h n ° n * fl I ,h Act - there is Ibsolnte y a no provfe,„„ on tho stnUlte bQok y a the proper protection of this class ♦ of worker. And tluif Health Act '"dtte it brought Tasmania Into , & hne With civilisation, Premier Evans K has promised to v amend •" «*en f Parliament meets in June. Tasman- h with its respectability as- about its £ only asset. Maoriland is thriving * progressive, and rich. And all the cl circmnotances, climate and otherwise C 1 in the two insular States agree ex- ir cvpt tiiut one has Labor legislation ll arid tlifl other Tory, legislation. Can " •tny but one inference bo drawn '.' * Bulled, .. U